Friedel-Crafts Reactions Flashcard

Front

What is a Friedel-Crafts reaction?

Back

A Friedel-Crafts reaction is an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction that introduces alkyl or acyl groups into an aromatic ring using a Lewis acid as a catalyst.

Front

What are the two main types of Friedel-Crafts reactions?

Back

The two main types are Friedel-Crafts Alkylation and Friedel-Crafts Acylation.

Front

What is the role of a Lewis acid in Friedel-Crafts reactions?

Back

A Lewis acid acts as a catalyst that helps generate the electrophile necessary for the reaction.

Front

What is the electrophile in Friedel-Crafts Alkylation?

Back

The electrophile is typically a carbocation formed from an alkyl halide.

Front

What is the electrophile in Friedel-Crafts Acylation?

Back

The electrophile is an acylium ion generated from an acyl chloride and a Lewis acid.

Front

What is a limitation of Friedel-Crafts Alkylation?

Back

A limitation is that over-alkylation can occur, leading to polysubstitution on the aromatic ring.

Front

Why do deactivated benzene rings not react in Friedel-Crafts reactions?

Back

Deactivated benzene rings have electron-withdrawing groups that reduce the electron density of the ring, making it less reactive towards electrophiles.

Front

What is a key advantage of Friedel-Crafts Acylation over Friedel-Crafts Alkylation?

Back

A key advantage is that Friedel-Crafts Acylation does not involve carbocation rearrangement, leading to more stable products.

Front

What type of catalyst is typically used in Friedel-Crafts reactions?

Back

Lewis acids such as AlCl3 or FeCl3 are commonly used as catalysts.

Front

What is an acylium ion?

Back

An acylium ion is a positively charged ion formed during Friedel-Crafts Acylation, which acts as the electrophile.